NBC Orders Clip Show From Producers Stephen McPherson & Bruce Gersh

EXCLUSIVE: NBC is looking to launch a family-friendly variety clip show franchise in the tradition of ABC’s stalwart America’s Funniest Home Videos. The network has given a six-episode order to an hourlong show from producers Stephen McPherson and Bruce Gersh. Tentatively titled NBC’s Epic Funnies, the series is built around the principles of Epic Fails and life moments gone wrong. McPherson and Gersh, who worked together at ABC, collaborated on several projects over the last year. That led to the duo recently launching a venture together, Hollywoodland Studio, with Epic Funnies as the first project. It was another ABC alum, Jeff Bader, now head of scheduling at NBC, that helped bring the show to the peacock network. Gersh has clip show experience. As an executive at ABC, he oversaw digital business for network shows including AFHV where he met the show’s creator/executive producer Vin di Bona, and the two launched FishBowl Worldwide Media in 2010. As the company’s president and CEO for four years until his exit last summer, he orchestrated the Web exploitation of  AFHV‘s massive library of clips with the launch five YouTube channels. With Epic Fails, McPherson and Gersh are taking an opposite route, taking online clips to TV. The show is envisioned as being global, featuring original clips from around the world. Former ABC president McPherson returned to TV this season as a scripted producer with first-look deals at Fox and Lionsgate TV. He sold several projects with one, a comedy from writer Ricky Blitt, getting a pilot order at Fox.