Gossip Girl executive producer Josh Safran is finalizing a deal to join NBC’s musical drama series Smashas executive producer for next season. He will succeed creator/executive producer/showrunner Theresa Rebeck who departed the series shortly after it was renewed for a second season last month. A number of showrunners interviewed for the job until Safran was identified as the choice about a week ago. UTA-repped Safran spent the last five years on the CW soap Gossip Girl, rising through the ranks to an executive producer.