FX Cancels 'Brand X', Russell Brand Works on New Comedy Pilot
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The network won't order a new season of Brand's talk show, but picks up a comedy pilot loosely based on the British comedian's life.

AceShowbiz - FX cancels "Brand X with Russell Brand" after two seasons. FX Productions CEO John Landgraf has announced that it won't renew the late-night weekly talk show, which wrapped up its sophomore run on May 2 and aired a total of 26 episodes.

However, FX will continue its business relationship with Russell Brand. The cable channel has picked up a scripted live-action comedy from the British comedian. Likening it to Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm", Landgraf says the new project is loosely based on the Brand's own life. The potential new series is in very early stages and does not have a writer attached yet.

On the other hand, another late-night show, "Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell", receives the good news that it has now switched from a weekly to daily format. "Kamau and Chris were more ready to convert to a daily show in terms of their production process. They had a profusion of material, they had their format down and were read. Second of all, we saw more potential and more upside in the audience response. So, since we're moving forward with that one, we're not moving forward with Brand X," Landgraf explains.

Over at FX's sister network, FXX, "Archer" and "Eastbound & Down" producers team up on an animated comedy called "Chozen". Following a "gay white rapper fresh out of prison with a new message and new skills, which he will use in his quest for redemption and domination," it has "Eastbound" writer's assistant Grant Dekernion writing the script.

Dekernion will reunite with Danny McBride, Jody Hill and David Gordon Green of "Eastbound", who are all on board to serve as producers for the new series along with Adam Reed and Matt Thompson of "Archer". McBride and Dekernion will also voice the characters, joined in the cast with Bobby Moynihan, Hannibal Buress, Nick Swardson, Kathryn Hahn and Method Man.

Nick Grad, a president of original programming for FX Networks, says, " 'Chozen' is an outrageous and ballsy comedy, but it's also a very smart examination of the rap culture." The project gets a greenlight hot on heels of HBO's announcement that "Eastbound & Down" will end after the upcoming fourth season.

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