HBO is following up “The Newsroom” with another project revolving around the news media — but this time it’s being played up for laughs.
The network has greenlit a comedy pilot from “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” executive producer Lorne Michaels and former “Late Night” writers Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin.
Also read: HBO Orders Comedy Pilot From Jason Reitman, Lorne Michaels and ‘Girls’ Co-EP
The as-yet-untitled pilot is a half-hour buddy comedy following Bashir and Diallo, two 30-year-old reporters, as they try to make it big in the burgeoning black mecca of contemporary Atlanta, aka the New South. Riddle and Salahuddin (pictured) are writing, starring in and executive producing the pilot, with Michaels also executive producing. Dave Flebotte (“Raising Hope”) is also executive producing, with Andrew Singer (“30 Rock”) co-executive producing.
Michaels is also executive producing “People in New Jersey,” a comedy project about an adult brother and sister who puzzle over the big and small mysteries of life while living in New Jersey. Singer is also executive producing that project, which is written by Bruce Eric Kaplan, who serves as a co-executive producer and writer on HBO’s “Girls.”
Deadline first reported the news of the pilot greenlight.