Hollywood power players Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, the men behind Imagine Entertainment, announced in Dec. 2021 that they were teaming with iHeartMedia to launch a new podcast division. Now the first slate of Imagine Audio shows has been announced. Imagine Audio, headed up by Kara Welker, will release six series. The slate features familiar voices like a workplace audio comedy from Ron Howard, a punk-rock murder mystery hosted by music anthropologist and director Penelope Spheeris (Decline of Western Civilization, Wayne’s World), as well as compelling new voices like environmental thought leader Chris Turney and writer Davis Miller, a man who overcame childhood bullying through an unlikely friendship with Muhammed Ali.
“At Imagine Entertainment, our priority has always been telling stories that inspire and empower and we are thrilled to debut our first slate of shows as we expand into the audio space with iHeartMedia,” said Justin Wilkes, President of Imagine Entertainment, in a statement.
The new lineup launches with the debut of Hello Isaac. The joint production with Awfully Nice is hosted by fashion designer and television presenter Isaac Mizrahi. The show will feature him speaking withexperts in their field to learn how their lives – the failures, the success and their process, forged them into the experts they are today. Featured guests lined up for this interview show include Carson Kressley, Andy Cohen, and BenDelaCreme.
Next week, Imagine Audio will debut Big Sugar. The podcast tells the story of an epic legal battle pitting the multi-billion-dollar sugar industry against the migrant laborers who harvest sugarcane, while revealing corporate malfeasance, human rights violations, DC lobbying, nutrition downfalls and the destruction of the environment. A coproduction with Novel and Weekday Fun, Big Sugar debuts June 20.
Then in July, Employees Only will launch. Created by Howard, the audio sitcom is an improvised workplace comedy following employees at a big box store who spend their break discussing, debating and arguing about the day’s news. Produced with Pretty-Fast, Employees only debuts July 17.
Imagine Audio’s August release features climate scientist and expedition leader Chris Turney takes listeners on an increasingly urgent environmental journey, exploring the scary reality the planet faces today and the common–sense solutions that can be implemented now to save it. The show, called Unf**king The Future, is produced with Awfully Nice and it launches August 8.
Then in September, Peter and the Acid King debuts. It takes listeners on a deep dive through the grimy, chaotic world of the Los Angeles punk scene in the early ’80s and the brutal murder of New Wave Theater TV host, Peter Ivers, the dynamic performer and artist known for bringing punk rock to TV. Acid King iscreated by Alan Sacks (Du-Beat-E-O, Thrashin, Welcome Back Kotter) and narrated by punk historian and esteemed director Penelope Spheeris (The Decline of Western Civilization, Wayne's World). Featured guests include Jello Biafra, Frank Salerno, and Ron Howard. Produced with Awfully Nice, the series debuts Sept. 18.
October will bring The Tao of Muhammad Ali. Host Davis Miller created the podcast based on his book about the boxing legend. It will start with the true story of how Ali saved a bullied young boy, Miller himself, from a paralyzing depression and propelled him to success through his “Tao.” The show will carry listeners through the later years when Davis and Ali are reunited while Ali was in the throes of Parkinson’s, sharing years of The Champ’s wisdom and doctrine, and that which made Ali a role model and guru for millions, including stories from many of the celebrities and people of influence who were deeply impacted and inspired by their time with Ali. Produced with Awfully Nice, the series debuts Oct. 3.
All six of the new shows are produced by Nathan Kloke and co-produced by iHeartPodcasts. Grazer, Howard, and Wilkes serve as Executive Producers across the slate. All podcasts in the new slate are distributed by iHeartPodcasts.
“We are pleased to announce this compelling slate from iconic names like Ron Howard and Isaac Mizrahi as well as thought-provoking content exposing issues like climate change and the billion-dollar sugar industry through a whole new lens,” said Conal Byrne, CEO of iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group. “Imagine Entertainment has an outstanding, decades-long reputation for bringing award-winning tv shows, features and documentaries to our screens, and we can’t wait to bring Imagine’s bespoke content to even more audiences in the audio space through iHeartPodcasts.”
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