Teenage Fashionista True Jackson Goes From the Class Room to the Board Room in Nickelodeon's New Comedy Series True Jackson, VP, Premiering Saturday, November 8 at 9:30PM (ET/PT)

Teenage Fashionista True Jackson Goes From the Class Room to the Board Room in Nickelodeon's New Comedy Series True Jackson, VP, Premiering Saturday, November 8 at 9:30PM (ET/PT)

Big Screen Star Keke Palmer Makes Her Series Debut in New Show about a Teen Navigating Corporate Life from Veteran Producer Andy Gordon

Nickelodeon's Big Night of Comedy kicks off at 8:00 p.m. with First-Ever iCarly TV Movie, iGo to Japan followed by True Jackson, VP Series Premiere

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Fifteen year-old Keke Palmer (Akeelah and the Bee, The Longshots) makes her television series debut as teenager-turned-fashion executive True Jackson in the network's new, original comedy series, True Jackson, VP premiering Saturday, November 8 at 9:30p.m. (ET/PT). The series, which will air on Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT), centers on 15-year-old True Jackson (Palmer) who is tapped to head the youth division of Mad Style, a major fashion label. True soon learns that navigating the grown-up corporate world has the same highs and lows as high school, complete with cliques, mean girls and crushes -- but with cool perks like designing for international icons and casting super cute models. An accomplished singer, Palmer also co-wrote and sings the pop-rock series theme song. Award-winning, broadcast comedy veteran Andy Gordon (NewsRadio, Just Shoot Me!, Mad About You) is Creator and Executive Producer of the series.

(PHOTO: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081027/NY41598 )

"True Jackson, VP is the perfect partnership of terrific talent, larger-than-life fantasy-fulfillment, fashion and comedy," said Marjorie Cohn, Nickelodeon's Executive Vice President, Development and Original Programming. "With sitcom veteran Andy Gordon working his magic off-screen and the charismatic and supremely talented Keke Palmer working hers on-screen, we think kids are going to be engaged in a big way."

"True Jackson, VP is a show I'm tremendously proud of," adds Gordon. "With two young Nickelodeon fans of my own at home, I am inspired to make True Jackson, VP a show that's not only funny and irreverent, but with positive values and characters my kids can look up to. Working for Nickelodeon has been a dream come true, and has elevated my status from 'not-too-cool' to 'really-cool' Dad."

Launching in tandem with the show premiere is TrueJacksonVP.com, which will feature original and user-generated content, games, message boards, blogs, downloadables, actor bios and screensavers.

The premiere episode introduces True Jackson as a no-nonsense teenager selling sandwiches outside the offices of a major fashion label. When the eccentric head of the company Max, played by Greg Proops (Whose Line is it Anyway?), is approached by her, he notices True's young yet marketable fashion sense and offers her a job on-the-spot as Vice President in charge of his youth apparel line. She accepts the position, but is soon forced to navigate the office politics: skepticism and negativity from her older (and bitter) executive assistant and open resentment from her more experienced colleague Amanda, played by Danielle Bisutti (The O.C., Without a Trace). But with the help of her high school friends, Lulu and Ryan, played by newcomers Ashley Argota and Matt Shively, respectively, True quickly acclimates to the corporate culture and deals with it as if it was just another day in high school.

The first season will follow True as she navigates work life, social life and love life adventures around the Mad Style offices -- and includes cameos by pro skateboarder Ryan Sheckler and Weeds actress Julie Bowen. Kid audiences can live vicariously through True as she navigates her very first job, battles real-world obstacles like competitive co-workers and corporate politics and builds new friendships, romantic interests and her niche as a fashion maven. Upcoming episodes feature True playing matchmaker, mistakenly lending out a one-of-a-kind prototype dress, babysitting high-maintenance models, designing clothes and being faced with firing her best friend Lulu.

Fifteen-year-old Palmer has already established herself as one of the fastest rising young stars of her generation, with credits that span film, television, and music. Palmer's breakthrough performance was starring as the title character in the Lionsgate Films/Starbucks Entertainment sleeper hit Akeelah and the Bee, opposite actor Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett. Her performance garnered a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture. Palmer also received a SAG nomination in the Best Leading Actress category for her role in the Emmy-nominated made for TV movie, The Wool Cap, opposite William H. Macy in 2004, marking her as the youngest actor to ever be nominated by the Guild in a Lead Actor Category. In 2007, she also released her debut pop/R&B album So Uncool on Atlantic Records. Palmer recently starred opposite Ice Cube in the Weinstein Co. feature, The Longshots based on the true story of a female quarterback that makes Pop Warner history. Her next feature film will be Shrink (Lionsgate), starring opposite Kevin Spacey and Robin Williams.

Award-winning comedy veteran Andy Gordon has written and produced such shows as Back to You (CBS), Just Shoot Me! (NBC), NewsRadio (NBC), Get a Life (Fox), The Jeff Foxworthy Show (ABC), Dream On (HBO) and Mad About You (NBC), for which he received a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award. With former writing partner Eileen Conn, he co-created the NBC comedy DAG, starring David Alan Grier, and co-wrote the play Arrivals & Departures, which premiered at the Aspen Comedy Festival. Gordon has also done punch-up on dozens of movies, including Curious George, Ant Bully, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Walter the Farting Dog, Space Chimps, and Meet Dave. Most recently, Gordon co-wrote the cheerleader comedy Fired Up, which will hit theaters in March of 2009.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 29th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 96 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 14 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B).

Source: Nickelodeon

CONTACT: George Cabico, +1-818-736-3119, George.Cabico@mtvstaff.com,
Mirian Arias, +1-212-846-7653, Mirian.Arias@nick.com, or photo, Keirsten
Wanamaker, +1-212-258-7672, Keirsten.Wanamaker@nick.com

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