The Oprah Winfrey Network yesterday announced that it is "producing a multi-part documentary" about Rams DE Michael Sam, after "multiple networks approached Sam when he first announced he was gay," according to Hall & Blankenbuehler of the Columbia MISSOURIAN. Sam's Publicist Howard Bragman said that a "meal with Winfrey convinced the former Missouri football player that The Oprah Winfrey Network is the right place to document his preparation for the NFL." Bragman: "Knowing the network's so much about empowerment and positive change, he feels like it's a good place to be." But he added, "Michael's No. 1 job is to make the football team. If it comes to a choice between the doc and football, we're always going to err on the side of football." OWN VP/Communications Wendy Luckenbill and Bragman said that there is "no official date scheduled for airing of the series, and the amount of episodes to be shot has not been announced." A camera crew has "already been following Sam's recent events" (Columbia MISSOURIAN, 5/15). ESPN.com's Darren Rovell cited sources as saying that negotiations between Sam and OWN "took two months." Sources said that the plan is for the series to "be broken up in to six to eight segments" (ESPN.com, 5/14). In L.A., Patrick Kevin Day noted the documentary will be from the "same team that created the Lindsay Lohan OWN series, 'Lindsay.'" The show "generated many headlines for the troubled actress, but suffered from chronically low ratings" (LATIMES.com, 5/14). VARIETY's Whitney Friedlander noted the Sam documentary will be "produced with OWN by Pilgrim Studios." Nicholas Caprio and Johnny Gould join Piligian as Exec Producers, while Ralph Wikke and Mitch Rosa join Rice as co-Exec Producers (VARIETY.com, 5/14).
EYE ON THE PRIZE? ESPN.com's Nick Wagoner wrote under the header, "Will Documentary Distract Sam From Goal?" While it is "certainly understandable to want to document a groundbreaking, historic story, it also doesn’t seem conducive to making it all about football, which was the message Sam delivered repeatedly throughout his introductory news conference Tuesday" (ESPN.com, 5/14). Meanwhile, Sam said of coming out, "When I came out in February, it actually wasn't the time I wanted to come out. I was going to come out to my [NFL] team -- whoever drafted me" (PEOPLE.com, 5/14). In St. Louis, Joe Lyons reports QSR Cafe Express has a new line of "SAM I AM I AM RAM" T-Shirts (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 5/15).
CUE THE SKYOOK: In L.A., Eric Pincus noted HBO Sports is "partnering with Mandalay Sports Media and Iconomy Multi-Media & Entertainment" on a documentary about Basketball HOFer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scheduled for early '15. The documentary "will be directed by Ron Yassen and produced by Deborah Morales." Mike Tollin will serve as Exec Producer (LATIMES.com, 5/14). VARIETY's Nikara Johns noted production and principal photography "began this week" in L.A. (VARIETY.com, 5/14).
