USA Network Developing Six-Hour Television Event Based on Gigi Levangie Grazer Novel 'THE STARTER WIFE'

USA Network Developing Six-Hour Television Event Based on Gigi Levangie Grazer Novel 'THE STARTER WIFE'

Josann McGibbon & Sara Parriott to Write Limited Series

NEW YORK, Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- USA Network has acquired the rights to the New York Times best-selling 2005 novel "The Starter Wife" (Simon & Schuster) from author Gigi Levangie Grazer (Rescue Me, Maneater) it was announced by Jeff Wachtel, executive vice president of original programming for USA. THE STARTER WIFE, which is slated as a six-hour limited series to air in the summer 2006, will be executive produced by Grazer and penned by the writing team of Josann McGibbon & Sara Parriott ("Runaway Bride") who will also serve as executive producers. The project will be produced by NBC Universal Television Studio in association with 3 Arts Entertainment. Stephanie Davis ("The Caveman's Valentine") and Howard Klein ("The Office," "Carnivale") will also serve as executive producers for 3 Arts. The book was brought to USA's Senior Vice President of Longform Programming, Laurette Hayden. by Grazer's literary agent Sylvie Rabineau of Rabineau Wachter & Sanford. Production is expected to begin in the spring.

THE STARTER WIFE is a sexy, savvy and wickedly funny tour de force about life after divorce and one woman redefining herself after years of marriage to a Hollywood studio head. With her signature wit, sassy style and cameos of the rich and famous -- and wannabe rich and famous -- Grazer tackles the most delicious and dastardly details of a divorce and recovery, Hollywood style.

"We are absolutely thrilled to be involved in such a high-profile project with some of the most exciting and talented writers in the business today," said Wachtel. "THE STARTER WIFE is the type of project that could be a cornerstone of our big event programming for 2006. It's big, it's fun, it's fearless and it will certainly create a stir."

"We are incredibly excited to bring Gigi's sexy satire to television viewers," said Angela Bromstad, President, NBC Universal Television Studio. "Teaming Gigi with Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott will make for an entertaining and intelligent television adaptation of the best selling novel."

Grazer, real-life wife of Imagine Entertainment co-owner and Academy(R) Award-winning producer Brian Grazer, worked for eight years developing and writing television shows for legendary network president and producer Fred Silverman. She also wrote the 1998 movie "Stepmom" with Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon and has been published in numerous periodicals such as People Magazine, Glamour and Harpers Bazaar. Her best sellers, Maneater and Rescue Me, have been optioned by Mandalay Pictures and Fox Searchlight Pictures, respectively.

The writing team of Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott are best known for their work on "Runaway Bride" with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. More recently, they have been working on the highly anticipated animated movie event "Rapunzel Unbraided" for Walt Disney Animation for Dick Cook and Michael Eisner. McGibbon and Parriott have worked on the upcoming "Chicken Little" for Disney and "Frankenweenie" for Tim Burton, and have additionally written for Sandra Bullock, Sid Ganis, Tom Shadyac and Sara Colleton. McGibbon & Parriott also wrote the story for "Three Men and a Little Lady." Currently, Stuart Cornfeld of Ben Stiller's Red Hour Films is in development with their script "Staying Power."

USA Network is cable television's leading provider of original series and feature movies, sports events, off-net television shows, and blockbuster theatrical films. USA Network is seen in over 89 million U.S. homes. The USA Network Web site is located at http://www.usanetwork.com/. USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.

Source: USA Network

CONTACT: Kristin Schulman, +1-212-664-4140, kristin.schulman@nbcuni.com,
or Jean Guerin, +1-212-664-8988, jean.guerin@nbcuni.com

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

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