Showtime & Kirstie Alley Dish Up Humor and Sex Appeal for 'Fat Actress' Spots

Showtime & Kirstie Alley Dish Up Humor and Sex Appeal for 'Fat Actress' Spots

Directed by celebrated photographer and rock video director Mark Seliger

NEW YORK, Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Using the sultry overtones of R&B legend Isaac Hayes, Showtime Networks' in-house creative team, The Red Group, has created a series of irreverent, music-driven spots that let Kirstie Alley do what she does best: be outrageous. The star of the upcoming SHOWTIME comedy series FAT ACTRESS (debuting on Monday, March 7 at 10 PM ET/PT) lets it be known that fat is the new black. She clowns around, dances seductively and proves that fat and funny are sexy.

The three spots, entitled "Fat," "New Bounce" and "Brick House," began airing this month on SHOWTIME and also on CBS, UPN, WE and spot cable in :30 and :15 second versions. They are directed by Mark Seliger, who is known for his award-winning celebrity photography for Rolling Stone, GQ and Vanity Fair and for directing music videos and commercials for such industry names as Shawn Colvin, Joan Osborne, Lenny Kravitz and Gillian Welch.

Best-known for her Emmy(R) Award winning role on CHEERS, Kirstie Alley has recently endured flack from press and gossip columnists for her weight gain -- but that hasn't stopped her. FAT ACTRESS is a semi-autobiographical look at what it takes to work in Hollywood if you don't fit the age and weight requirements. The three spots trade on Alley's sense of humor and her comfort with who she is.

In "Fat" Kirstie approaches the camera lip-synching to the Violent Femmes single that declares "I hope you got fat. Cause if you got really fat. You might just want to see me come back." As she exits frame, she returns for one last little hand gesture that won't be airing on broadcast television.

For "New Bounce," Kirstie is decked out in flowing, lacy robes and struts to camera as Isaac Hayes declares that "comedy's got a new form and Showtime has a brand new bounce." Kirstie Alley gets even with this new SHOWTIME series -- and her attitude declares that she owns Phat.

In "Brick House," backed by The Commodores' empowering song about female sex-appeal in plus-sizes -- Kirstie is wearing a low cut, red dress. She's sexy, she knows it and fat is in. As the spot ends -- Kirstie bursts out laughing -- completely enjoying the moment.

Working on the spots for Showtime were Creative Director Allison Bell, Executive Producer Howard Sherman, Art Director Christina Black and Editor Mitchell Hart. The production company was Little Minx@RSA USA, Inc. Credits there include Director Mark Seliger, Executive Producer Rhea Scott, Producer Janice Biggs, and DP Shawn Kim. Editorial and graphics were handled by Bennett Killmer at Ultraband.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Viacom Inc., owns the premium television networks SHOWTIME(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) and FLIX(R), as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME(R) TOO(TM), SHOWTIME(R) SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME(R), SHOWTIME BEYOND(R), SHOWTIME NEXT(R), SHOWTIME WOMEN(R), SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE(R) and TMC xtra. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD(R), SHOWTIME ON DEMAND(R) and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND(TM). SNI operates and manages the premium television network SUNDANCE CHANNEL(R), which is a venture between NBC Universal, Robert Redford, and Showtime Networks Inc. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME(R) PPV. Additionally, the advertiser-supported television network SHOWTIME is available in Turkey through a joint venture with UK-based Zone Vision.


Source: Showtime Networks Inc.

CONTACT: Brooks Jewell, Trade PR, +1-212-708-1380,
brooks.jewell@showtime.net, or Joan Ziff, Trade PR, +1-212-708-1590,
joan.ziff@showtime.net, both for Showtime Networks Inc.

Web site: http://www.sho.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Images and Video Available on Request

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