Cavaliers F LeBron James and his manager, LRMR Management Founder Maverick Carter, "will executive-produce ESPN Films' and Disney XD's new special 'Becoming,' a half-hour show for kids and families profiling the inspirational journeys of today's top athletes," according to Ashley Lee of the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The series will debut on Oct. 26 at 8:00pm ET on Disney XD and "is in development for an ongoing series." The first episode "will center on James himself, tracing the NBA champion's trajectory and highlighting his accomplishments and inspirations." The series "is produced in association with ESPN Films and James' Springhill Production Company" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 10/1).
COINCIDENTAL TIMING: In Cleveland, Joe Vardon wrote James' new show on Starz, "Survivor's Remorse," is filled with situations that are "punctuated by race, drug use and even domestic abuse against children." For example, in the second episode, the mother of fictional character Cam Calloway discloses that she "physically beat her son as a child." In real life, race relations "remain a hot-button issue in the NBA because of the racially insensitive comments made" by Hawks GM Danny Ferry. The physical abuse of children "is a pressing topic in the NFL because of charges filed against" Vikings RB Adrian Peterson. The similar situations "depicted in 'Survivor's Remorse' are portrayed as negatives." James: "It's weird because we shot the show in March, and the current events [are] happening right now. People will see it and say 'oh, they bit right off of what is going on right now.'" The show is "filled with adult content, and James said 'we continue to say it's for adults only, and parental discretion is advised'" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 10/1).
