Bravo can has LOLcats: The network has greenlit 11 new shows, including one that looks at the inner workings of icanhascheezburger.com, the online humor site known for LOL, cat and FAIL memes.
Bravo's new shows include "Life After Top Chef," which will follow former "cheftestants," and two "Real Housewives" spinoffs. One, tentatively titled "SUR," documents “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Lisa Vanderpump's attempt to open a restaurant and lounge. The other, "The Kandi Factory," features "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Kandi Burruss working with aspiring pop singers.
The network announced the new shows as it unveiled its slate for advertisers Wednesday.
Bravo is also bringing back eight unscripted series and has two new scripted projects in development that will premiere in 2013.
The show about the LOLcats proprieters, tentatively titled “Huh?,” follows Ben Huh and his staff at icanhascheezburger.com. LOLcats, for those without the blessing of the Internet, are those felines who appear in amusing images accompanied by an often misspelled and ungrammatical caption, such as the most famous one: "I Can Has Cheezeburger?"
Cheeseburger, which owns the network of sites including the flagship icanhascheezeburger.com, earns more than 375 million monthly page views.
Bravo also announced that it also added more than 155 new advertisers and 25 new online advertisers last year, and posted double digit growth in national and digital ad revenue.
Here are its new series, as described by the network:
NEW SERIES GREENLIGHTS:
“Silicon Valley” (working title)
Produced by Den of Thieves with Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager serving as Executive Producers along with Randi Zuckerberg as Executive Producer.
Teaming up with internet entrepreneur Randi Zuckerberg, Bravo captures the intertwining lives of young professionals on the path to becoming Silicon Valley’s next great success stories.
“Life After Top Chef”
Produced by Magical Elves with Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz, Casey Criley and Nan Strait serving as Executive Producers.
For the first time cameras are taken outside of the “Top Chef” kitchen and into the lives of Bravo’s most beloved former cheftestants as they reach milestones in their personal lives and culinary careers. From opening their own restaurants to expanding their growing franchises, viewers will follow Jen Carroll in Philadelphia, Richard Blais in Atlanta, Fabio Viviani in Los Angeles and Spike Mendelsohn in DC.
“Below Deck” (working title)
Produced by 51 Minds with Mark Cronin and Courtland Cox serving as Executive Producers.
The upstairs and downstairs worlds collide when this young and single crew of "yachties" live, love and work together onboard a luxurious mega yacht while tending to the ever-changing needs of their wealthy, demanding charter guests.
“Huh?” (working title)
Produced by RelativityREAL with Tom Forman, Jay Blumenfield, and Tony Marsh serving as Executive Producers.
Ever wonder who is behind those hilarious cat memes? Bravo goes inside the office of Ben Huh and his eclectic staff at icanhascheezburger.com, one of the largest humor publishers on the Internet known for their popular LOLs and FAILs.
“SUR” (working title)
Produced by Evolution Media with Douglas Ross, Greg Stewart, Kathleen French, Alex Baskin, Lisa Vanderpump and Ken Todd serving as Executive Producers.
Best known as one of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” Lisa Vanderpump opens the salacious kitchen doors of her exclusive Hollywood restaurant and lounge, SUR. Declaring it the sexiest establishment she’s ever owned and “the place you take your mistress,” Lisa rules over her lively and mischievous staff with a platinum fist.
“Miss Advised”
Produced by RelativityREAL and Ashley Tisdale’s Blondie Girl Productions with Tom Forman, Michaline Babich, Brad Bishop, Ashley Tisdale and Jessica Rhoades serving as Executive Producers.
These single relationship experts can’t seem to practice what they preach as Amy Laurent in New York, Emily Morse in San Francisco and Julia Allison in Los Angeles struggle to stay afloat in the deep end of the dating pool.
“Newlyweds: The First Year” (working title)
Produced by Monkey Kingdom with Will Macdonald, David Granger and Lauren Lazin serving as Executive Producers.
From the moment they say “I do” to their one-year anniversary, cameras capture diverse couples across the coasts experiencing the trials and tribulations of their first year of marriage.
“Gallery Girls” (working title)
Produced by Magical Elves with Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz serving as Executive Producers along with Alexandra Lipsitz and Kris Lindquist as Co-Executive Producers.
Viewers are introduced to seven young women who dream of living a chic and fashionable existence in New York City. Chantal Chadwick, Kerri Lisa, Liz Margulies, Claudia Martinez, Angela Pham, Amy Poliakoff and Maggie Schaffer all share a passion for art, but are divided amongst their Manhattan and Brooklyn lifestyles with vastly different attitudes and tastes towards fashion, art and men.
“LA Shrinks” (working title)
Produced by Intuitive Entertainment with Kevin Dill and Mechelle Collins serving as Executive Producers along with Elise Duran as Co-Executive Producer.
It takes one to treat one! The professional and personal lives of dynamic experts are exposed as they counsel a wide array of clients at some of the top private practices in Los Angeles.
“Decades” (working title)
Produced by True Entertainment with Glenda Hersh, Steven Weinstock, Matt Hanna, Kathryn Vaughan and Lauren Eskelin serving as Executive Producers.
Renowned boutique owners, Christos Garkinos and Cameron Silver, show off their exclusive and glamorous world of vintage couture filled with Givenchy, Balenciaga and Chanel.
“The Kandi Factory”
Produced by True Entertainment and Kandi Koated Entertainment with Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh, Mark Ford, Kevin Lopez and Kandi Burruss serving as Executive Producers.
Driven by the success of the special that aired in March, Bravo has greenlit season one of “The Kandi Factory,” starring multi-platinum songwriter and “The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s” Kandi Burruss. Protégés with no music industry experience are given the opportunity to work with Burruss’ team of experts in Atlanta to master the key elements that will turn them into a pop star.
NEW SCRIPTED DEVELOPMENT:
“22 Birthdays” (working title) focuses on the sordid and scandalous activities of a group of parents at an exclusive private school, with each episode centered around an extravagant and lavish birthday party. The project comes to Bravo from UCP Studios, writers and executive producers Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein and executive producers Doug Liman and Dave Bartis from Hypnotic.
“Blowing Sunshine” (working title) is set at a fictional private rehabilitation center and follows its staff and high profile patients. The project comes to Bravo from writer and executive producer Jason Ning (Perception, 90210, Burn Notice).
RETURNING SERIES:
Bravo’s fan favorite series and memorable characters return as the network confirmed new season orders for “Flipping Out” season six, “Tabatha Takes Over” season five and Million Dollar Decorators” season two will be back with LA designers Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Kathryn Ireland, Jeffrey Alan Marks and Mary McDonald. Celebrity chef Curtis Stone returns this summer to host “Top Chef Masters” season four and real estate magnets Madison Hildebrand, Josh Altman and Josh Flagg are back for “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles” season five. Additionally, Bravo greenlit second seasons for “Chef Roblé & Co.” and “Pregnant in Heels,” which will premiere on Tuesday, May 15 at 10pm ET/PT. The Emmy nominated series, “Inside The Actors Studio,” continues its 18th season with the cast and co-creator of Glee, premiering on Monday, April 9th at 8pm ET/PT. Later this year, host James Lipton will welcome the cast and creator of “Mad Men” and also celebrate the show’s milestone 250th episode as he unveils the best moments from all 287 past guests.
