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ABC Bets You Can Laugh at Recession

Sitcom pilots follow a failed Wall Street exec, fired young bankers

By Katherine Thompson,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 6, 2009 11:47 AM CST

(Newser) – Have you heard the one about the Wall Street millionaire who lost his job because of the collapsing economy, then had to actually hang out with his family?  ABC is hoping you will want to next fall, when Kelsey Grammer will star as that modern-day Mr. Mom. The untitled project is one of two recession-themed pilots from ABC, reports Advertising Age.

The other show, called Canned, follows the lives of several young investment bankers who lose their jobs in the first episode. “It’s really about young people who’ve been forced to take stock of their lives,” the executive producer explains. The Friends-like show is expected to integrate product placement into its plots.

Starbucks Corp. Chairman Howard Schultz drinks a cup of coffee brewed with the new Clover machine. An ABC pilot lampoons the $8000 coffeemaker, which means Starbucks might not want to be a sponsor.
Starbucks Corp. Chairman Howard Schultz drinks a cup of coffee brewed with the new "Clover" machine. An ABC pilot lampoons the $8000 coffeemaker, which means Starbucks might not want to be a sponsor.   (AP Photo)
Kelsey Grammer will headline a new show about a fallen Wall Street exec.
Kelsey Grammer will headline a new show about a fallen Wall Street exec.   (AP Photo)
Don't see the humor in plunging stocks and laid-off bankers?  ABC hopes to show you what you're missing with two new pilots.
Don't see the humor in plunging stocks and laid-off bankers? ABC hopes to show you what you're missing with two new pilots.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
riffran
Mar 8, 2009 5:18 AM CDT
oooops forgot to give credit to the person who penned it.......Sincerely, John J. Wall Law Student and an American P.S. Also, please take Barbara Streisand & Jane Fonda with you. ........there thats better...gotta give credit
riffran
Mar 8, 2009 5:12 AM CDT
Too funny...I loved Frasier...and down periscope....he he and just to tick off a few people I found this little tidbit on the left -vs-righ argument....and pasted it below........yeeeeeeeeha Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters, et al: We have stuck together since the late 1950's, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has run its course. Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way. Here is a model separation agreement: Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes. We don't like redistributive taxes so you can keep them. You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU. Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military. You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell (You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all three of them). We'll keep the capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street. You can have your beloved homeless, homeboys, hippies and illegal aliens. We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO's and rednecks. We'll keep the Bibles and give yo u NBC and Hollywood ... You can make nice with Iran and Palestine and we'll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us. You can have the peaceniks and war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we'll help provide them security. We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.. You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism and Shirley McClain. You can also have the U.N.. but we will no longer be paying the bill. We'll keep the SUVs, pickup trucks and oversized luxury cars. You can take every Subaru station wagon you can find. You can give everyone healthcare if you can find any practicing doctors. We'll continue to believe healthcare is a luxury and not a right. We'll keep The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the National Anthem. I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute Imagine, I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing, Kum Ba Ya or We Are the World... We'll practice trickle down economics and you can give trickle up poverty your best shot. Since it often so offends you, we'll keep our history, our name and our flag. Would you agree to this? If so, please pass it along to other like minded liberal and conservative...
Guest
Mar 6, 2009 3:41 AM CST
Another Republican acting the role of the common man and cashing in on the economic havoc they they wreaked... Why not just put Kelsy Grammer in a cowboy hat, buy him a chainsaw and a fake ranch, and have him run for prez?

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