Former “Friends” star Kudrow clinches NBC deal

By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Former “Friends” star
Lisa Kudrow and her producing partner, Dan Bucatinsky, have
signed a two-year TV development deal with her old employers at
NBC.

Under the pact, NBC Universal Television Studio will get
the first crack at the duo’s comedy and drama projects, moving
Kudrow and Bucatinsky’s 3-year-old production venture Is or
Isn’t Entertainment from its original home at Warner Bros. TV.

“Lisa and Dan have an incredibly sophisticated and
distinctive taste,” said Shelley McCrory, senior vice president
for comedy series at NBC Universal TV. “They are a great talent
magnet, and they are very prolific. She is a great performer
and producer, and he is a terrific writer, so the two are a
great team.”

While the deal is for Kudrow and Bucatinsky’s services as
producers, Kudrow is said to be open to starring in a project
the two develop if the right one comes along.

Under their earlier pact with Warner Bros., Kudrow and
Bucatinsky developed and produced such projects as the HBO
comedy series “The Comeback,” which starred Kudrow, and the
pilots “All In” for NBC, an untitled comedy starring Aisha
Tyler for CBS and “Beck and Call” for UPN.

Additionally, Is or Isn’t produced the 2003 ABC Family film
“Picking Up and Dropping Off,” and Bucatinsky wrote and
executive-produced the 2005 CBS pilot “The Commuters.”

Kudrow’s long history at NBC as a co-star on the network’s
hit comedy “Friends” and her great working relationship with
NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly over “All In” was a
factor in the duo’s decision to ally with NBC Universal.

The two already are working on their first project under
the deal — an adaptation of the book “But Enough About Me” by
Jancee Dunn, which Bucatinsky has optioned for television.

Kudrow and Bucatinsky are setting up meetings with writers
from NBC Universal’s roster to discuss this and other projects.

Separately from the deal at NBC Universal, Is or Isn’t
Entertainment has partnered with “Project Runaway” producer
Magical Elves Prods. for an unscripted show set in the world of
sketch comedy.

The project, which draws on Kudrow and Bucatinsky’s
experience in sketch comedy early in their careers, is in
development at Bravo.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter