Culture 2 min read By Lauren Baxter
Reno 911! Co-Creator Robert Ben Garant Raises $2.5M for Independent Weekly World News Comedy Series
Robert Ben Garant, co-creator of Reno 911!, has raised $2.5 million in private financing to film a full season of a Weekly World News comedy series independently in California, outside the traditional Hollywood studio system.
Reno 911! co-creator Robert Ben Garant has raised $2.5 million in private financing to produce a comedy series set in the world of the satirical tabloid Weekly World News, and will film the full season independently in California. The project marks a notable departure for Garant, who has spent three decades working within the Hollywood system.
Garant will serve as co-showrunner and executive producer alongside Cathy Shim, a frequent collaborator and fellow Reno 911! alumna. The series is built around Weekly World News, the long-running satirical tabloid known for its outlandish headlines and fabricated stories, which gives the show a premise rooted in the absurdist humor of print tabloid culture.
Choosing private finance over a studio or network deal allows the production to move forward without waiting for a traditional buyer. By funding the full season independently and filming in California, Garant and Shim retain creative control over the material while taking on the financial risk of producing it themselves. The source material does not detail the platform on which the series will eventually air.
The announcement comes as independent production has become an increasingly viable path for established comedy creators seeking to bypass conventional development timelines. Reno 911!, which Garant co-created, earned a devoted following over its run, and his track record gives the new project a built-in audience of fans familiar with his improvisational, character-driven style.
Further details about casting, a premiere date, and distribution have not yet been announced.
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